You might not be able to judge a book by its cover, but can you judge a human by their choice of mobile phone? While there are certainly no absolutes, a recent study (yes, someone actually commissioned a study into this) found there are certain links between personality and the type of smartphones people have. And in fact, the connection is so strong that psychologists say smartphones have become an extension of ourselves.

So what does your smartphone say about you?

iPhone vs. Android users

A study of 500 smartphone users found distinct differences between the typical iPhone and Android user. A comparison of the two found that...

iPhone users are usually:

Younger

Extroverted

More than twice as likely to be female

More likely to see their phone as a status object

Less concerned about owning devices favoured by the masses

While Android users are typically:

Male

Older

More honest

More agreeable

Less likely to break the rules for personal gain

Less interested in wealth and status

What do the four leading types of smartphone say about you?

One of the most important steps when picking a smartphone is being honest with yourself about what you value most in a phone. This is what your choice of the four major phone types says about you...

Android

Android phones tend to be the most advanced technically, but they are also quite raw, with privacy and security settings that aren’t up there with other operating systems. For that reason, Android phones are likely to be the preserve of technology geeks who like to tinker, but who also love to bag a bargain thanks to their typically low price.

Blackberry

Once all the rage, now Blackberry users are a dying breed. Lacking depth in its applications, Blackberry phones are being overlooked by many consumers who want more choice. But there is a group of users who are still reaching for their Blackberry. They tend to be those who have a phone for business and not play. They are work focused, like to make money and typically have a second smartphone for non-professional use.

iPhone

The iPhone user is more status orientated than any other smartphone user. They want to feel like they belong and also want to play, and with more applications than any other phone, this is the perfect device for the job. They also value quality, or the perception of quality, and are more than willing to pay through the nose to get it.

Windows Phone

Known for its speed and its ability to integrate with all things Windows, the typical Windows Phone user is one who values speed and efficiency above all else and wants to take simple steps to get things done. Although they don’t strive to be different, they make choices based on their own preferences and don’t care about the crowd. This can be seen in the clothes they wear and the car they drive, with quality and a clean design favoured above all else.

What about apps?

While our phones might reveal insight into our personalities and the way we like to be perceived, just imagine if research was done into the personality traits associated with the apps people download? Many of us don’t want other people to use our phones because it can reveal so much. But that’s a topic for another day.

What does your phone say about you? Please share your thoughts with our readers in the comments section below.